The present invention relates to a wound field synchronous machine, and more particularly to a coolant system for a reduced weight electric generator system.
Vehicles, such as aircraft, often utilize an electric generator system to provide electric power. The generators convert mechanical energy from rotation of the engine into electrical energy for the vehicle.
The use of conductive sleeves in wound field synchronous machines is commonplace. In some aerospace applications where weight is a critical feature there may be a desire to also use the sleeve to provide additional stiffness to the rotor structure. However, electrical losses may be present in the conductive sleeve due to the changing magnetic field. These losses may cause the temperature of the sleeve to increase to undesirable levels in particular locations related to the changing magnetic fields. A decrease in sleeve thickness provides a weight reduction, but the reduced thickness is a tradeoff in which the temperature increase is exacerbated and the rotor assembly stiffness is reduced.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a reduced weight electric generator system that operates at a reduced temperature yet increases rotor assembly stiffness.